Echo Soul Seekers

balance to normal.” She sighs softly, shaking her head as she adds, “I was afraid this might happen. And trust me, nieta, the dead fish are just the beginning. If we don’t stop them soon, it won’t be long before the effects are felt in the Middle- and Upperworlds too. Each world is dependent upon the other. When one is corrupted, the others fall into chaos, which is precisely what Cade wants. When the spirit animals are no longer able to guide and protect us, it will allow him free rein to rule as he pleases.”
    My fingers instinctively reach for the soft buckskin pouch I wear at my neck. Seeking the shape of the small stone raven, and the black raven feather that marked the beginning and end of my vision quest. Objects I once considered sacred, the main source of my power, but now I’m no longer sure. Like my guide, Raven, have they been corrupted too?
    “Should I not wear this anymore?” I ask, surprised by the panic that creeps into my voice. I’ve grown so accustomed to wearing the pouch that I can’t bear the thought of being without it.
    Paloma motions toward the blanket. “Why don’t we consult the pendulum?” She joins me on the floor. The two of us sitting side by side with our legs crossed, knees nearly touching, as I dangle the pendulum by the tip of my finger until it stills on its own. “The pendulum serves as a very powerful divination tool. But don’t be fooled, nieta . While it’s easy to think of it as magick, the answers it provides come from a place deep inside you.”
    I squint, not sure I understood.
    “The pendulum simply tunes in to your own higher consciousness and retrieves the answers you already know but that you may not have immediate access to.”
    “So, you’re saying it sees through the dark to find what I already know in my heart?”
    “Exactly.” She meets my grin with one of her own, the soft laugh that follows instantly brightening the room. “Oftentimes, we get so bogged down in choices and indecision that we can no longer access the truth that lives within us. That’s where the pendulum comes in. It helps you break through the clutter to get to the heart of the matter.”
    “So, how do we start?” I stare at the crystal, eager to get going on the long list of questions crowding my head.
    “First, I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself surrounded by light.”
    I stay as I am, lips screwed to the side, doubting the validity of that.
    “Whenever you engage in any sort of divining activity, even if you are merely divining the answers within you, you need to protect yourself.”
    “Protect myself from what exactly?” I frown, unsure where she’s going with this.
    “From dark entities. Lower spirit forms.” She locks eyes with me. “You may not see them, but they’re always lurking, ever-present. They can be found in every dimension of the Middleworld, and they thrive off the energy of others. Which is why you must always take great care to guard against them, and never allow them the chance to latch onto you. They are tricksters. They are capable of causing great harm and will use any opening you give them. So let’s not give them one, okay?”
    That’s all I need to snap my eyes shut and envision myself surrounded by a brilliant white nimbus of light.
    “Good.” Her voice is soft, pleased. “Now we need to determine which direction indicates a no answer, and which way indicates a yes . So, we’ll start by posing a few simple questions, ones in which we already know the answer, and see how it responds.”
    I lower my gaze, staring intently at the small amethyst stone that’s carved into a point at its tip. Trying to keep my voice serious, I say, “Is my name Daire Lyons-Santos?” Watching in amazement as the pendulum begins to sway on its own. At first moving in a slow back-and-forth motion, though it’s not long before it begins to form a clockwise circle, despite the fact that my fingers haven’t moved.
    “I think it’s safe to assume that clockwise means yes.” I glance at Paloma who nods in agreement.
    “The pendulum should slow on its own, and once it does, you may bring it to a complete stop before venturing a question that you know will result in a no response.”
    I focus on the pendulum. So caught up in the excitement of training with Paloma again—of accessing the magick that lies at my fingertips—I decide to ask it a question that will not only result in a resounding no but that already has me laughing when